Portable case easel with presentation components

ABSTRACT

The Portable Case Easel with Presentation Components is unique in that the easel is formed from the case and the presentation components are secured inside the case. The case is in two sections which can form a table top easel by standing on end and separating at the base, secured by arms and stabilized by folded down cut away support members. A shelf and clamp are available for securing display items. To form a floor easel, the inner portions and head portions of the two sections are telescoped out of the outer portions. This exposes the compartments containing a foldable, corrugated backboard to support displays or writing, a paper cartridge to expel paper across backboard, and a screen assembly for projected images. Storage of writing materials, video and audio equipment is available in head portions. Collapsed back into case form provides an ease of conveyance and secures the presentation components.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

[0003] Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0004] The field of endeavor is easels that provide a means to hold an object for display, or hold an object that supports another object used to write upon, or supports an object used to project an image against.

[0005] The related art includes all forms of easels that adapt to holding a paper pad for purpose of written presentations, often known as flipcharts. Generally, these easels are comprised of a standing mechanism, a backboard, and a clamp or clip to hold a large pad of paper. A more specific art item is U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,974. This is a tripod configuration with board for support of large writing pad. This art collapses for portability. This art has a number of pieces that are easily separated, and requires separate pad causing additional transport difficulty. Another art item is identified as a Portable Easel Having a Hollow Body, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,662,303 and 5,478,040. This easel is described as easily handled and collapsed for convenient storage, and is portable. This easel has a top portion described as display portion, which telescopes out of the base portion. The major problem with this art is the difficulty in transporting. The size and weight make it difficult to carry and requires a great deal of trunk or seat space to transport in a vehicle. A separate pad is required, causing additional problems in transport with flopping and papers blowing. Another art item is identified as a Foldable Cover with Easel Option, U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,594. This is described as a method of forming a carrying case and converting the carrying case into an easel. This case is strictly a tabletop and is designed only for display purposes. It cannot be used for writing against a surface for purposes of recording ideas, but simply for display. Other similar art, but not directly related, is art identified as a portable display case, and references easel. These are display only, not designed as an easel but referred to as case and references easel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This invention is an easel formed from a case. The easel supports objects for display and other presentation functions. The easel converts into a case that provides means to convey the easel and the objects that support specific functions related to the many purposes of the invention. This combination of case conversion into easel and case carrying objects increases portability and increases effectiveness of performing functions. Previous art is cumbersome and requires additional pieces that are separate from the art or is lightweight but requires multiple pieces to form the art and additional components, not included with art, to perform functions, such as a pad of paper. Also, none of the related art supports the additional presentation components of screen, and video and audio devices.

[0007] It is the objective of this invention to provide a novel means to support displays or a screen for projected images, and to facilitate the use of large paper materials for writing, and to do so in a way that is convenient, compact, and self-contained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0008] In the drawings:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the easel embodying the present invention, showing the easel fully extended and backboard component and paper cartridge component attached ready for use.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the easel shown in FIG. 1, except that the component parts used for written presentation have been disassembled and stored in the body of the two compartments of inner portion.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the easel shown in FIG. 1, except the inner portions of the two sections have been telescoped into the outer portions.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the easel shown in FIG. 3 except that the cut-away support members have been folded back into the sides, the two sections, formed by the two outer portions and the head portions, have been connected and latched to form the portable case.

[0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective, side view of the corrugated backboard that is the component used to support the paper to perform the written presentation function.

[0014]FIG. 6 is a perspective, side view of the paper cartridge that is the component that holds the role of paper that when assembled is spread across the backboard and is used to perform the written presentation function.

[0015]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the unfolded and assembled frame (screen cover not shown) of the collapsible screen component.

[0016]FIG. 8 is a perspective, front view of the cut-away support arms used to prevent the frame of the easel from falling to either side.

[0017]FIG. 9a is a perspective side view of the two sections of the easel separated at the base and hinged at the top forming a table top easel with the lower shelf folded down ready for supporting presentation materials when easel is in this table top position and 9 b is a perspective side view of the extended floor easel with the higher shelf folded down ready for supporting presentation materials when the easel is in this fully extended position.

[0018]FIG. 10 is a perspective, side view of the clamp found in the top of the front section of the head portion of the easel used to clamp on to easel paper pads when the paper cartridge is not used or to clamp other presentation material to easel.

[0019]FIG. 11 is a perspective, side view of the spring loaded protrusion on the inner portion of the front section that slips into openings in outer portion of front section when aligned while telescoping into extended easel position in order to cause the inner portion to remain at an extended height.

[0020]FIG. 12 is a perspective, side view of the handle mounted on the bottom, outer portion of front section to provide a means to carry case and to secure bottom, outer portion while telescoping inner portion from bottom, outer portion.

[0021]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an optional tether line used to secure components to easel to prevent loss.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0022] With reference to FIGS. 1-4 of the accompanying drawings, the invention is an easel 20 formed from a case 21 that holds components necessary to perform multiple functions and when transformed becomes a case for ease of mobility and security of components. The case easel has two sections. These sections are comprised of six 4, 5, 15, 16, 11 & 12 rectangular portions, two outer portions 4, 5, two head portions 11, 12 and two inner portions 15 & 16. The two outer portions 4, 5 have four sides, are closed at the bottom end and open at the top end and form most of the outer shell of the two sections of the case. The two inner portions 15 &16 have three sides, a closed top and bottom. The two head portions 11, 12 have four sides, a top and bottom, and form the heads to the two sections. The heads have a compartment 32 (FIG. 13) that may be used for writing materials storage, placement of a video projector system for rear projection with screen assembly component, audio recording equipment, and space for mechanisms for automated easel assembly. The top of the head being a door 33 with a hinge 34 (FIG. 13) and each head forms the remaining outer shell of the case. With reference to FIGS. 9a & b, the two outer portions and the heads portions are the two bodies that form the table-top easel. When set on the closed ends of the outer portions, the two sections of the case, comprised of the two outer portions 4, 5 and the two head portions 11, 12, are separated at the bottom and secured a certain distance apart by a hinged arm 6 and remain attached at the top by a hinge 27 and the case becomes a bipod, table-top easel. With reference to FIG. 8, the front section also has two cut away parts 10 a & b, one on each side at the bottom. Each cut away is hinged 26 a & b at the bottom and each has a middle hinged arm 9 a & b, one end of the hinged arm is attached to the section and one attached in the middle of the cut away part. The cut away parts are extended downward from the case on to a surface to become support members. Each cut away, after it has been extended flat to the surface to form the support member, may be further extended by means of an interlay 25 a & b inside original cut away section, thereby increasing the breath of the support member and increasing the stability of the easel. There are two fold out shelves 7, 8 on the outer portion of the front section that can be used to support displays. When these two sections are closed together to form the case 21, there is a latch comprised of two parts 15 a & b on the outer portions that secure the sections together and a handle 13 on one section used for carrying the case and to secure the bottom, outer portions while extending inner portions. The two cut away parts 10 a & b fold back in and become the outer shell of the case. To erect an extended upright floor easel and access the storage compartments of the inner portions and to utilize the objects stored inside the compartments for multiple functions, the two inner portions 15, 16 are raised out of the outer portions 4, 5 by means of telescoping front and back inner portions out of front and back outer portions. With reference to FIG. 11, the telescoping stops by means of a catch 30 inside inner portion and remains extended by means of a protrusion 18 and spring 29 in inner portion springing into cavity of outer portion. The easel in this form can be used for a display function, either by means of setting the item on the fold down shelf 7 in the wall of the outer portion of the front section, or otherwise attaching the item to the easel by means of a claiming device 1 positioned at the top of the head portion. Housed in the two inner portion compartments are several components. One component, a folded, corrugated backboard 2 (FIG. 5) can be attached to a slot 17 (FIG. 2) in the head portion of the front section and unfolded to form a solid surface 2 (FIG. 1). This surface can be used for supporting paper to write on, or as a backdrop and support to display items. Each side of this component may be a surface to write on with writing materials, such as chalk, or for use with erasable markers. A second component, a container 3 (FIG. 6), with a role of large paper 19 inside, forming a cartridge, can be attached to the backboard by knobs 22 and the paper can be distributed over the backboard and used for the function of written recording. With reference to FIG. 7, a third component, a screen frame 24 (screen cover not shown), can be unfolded and attached to the easel at the shelf and at the top of the easel by a brace 23, and becomes an object for the function of receiving projected images. With reference to FIG. 13, each component has an optional tether line 31 to secure component to easel to prevent loss. 

1. I claim a portable case easel which is comprised of six interdependent portions that form two sections which attach together to form the case providing a means of ease of mobility; two of said portions considered the inner portions being housed in two other said portions considered the outer portions and the two remaining said portions considered the head portions; said sections comprised of said portions being set on the said outer portions ends opposite the said head portions and movable apart and having a hinge at the top of the said head portions for securing said sections when moving apart, and a hinged arm along the side of the two said sections for securing said sections apart to form a table top, bipod easel; said sections having two hinged cut away parts to the sides of the front section which fold down and supports the said table top, bipod easel in an upright position; said inner portions and said head portions telescoping upward from the two said outer portions, to form extended, floor easel, and supports multiple functions; said extended portions reveal compartments and provide access to multiple components; and said head portions have additional compartments for additional components.
 2. The easel recited in claim 1, further comprising in said compartments a foldable backboard to provide a means of writing upon, to support paper when written upon and to support displays when said portions in claim 1 are fully extended and said backboard is exposed, removed, unfolded and attached.
 3. The easel recited in claim 1, further comprising in said compartments a cartridge to provide a means to expel paper across said backboard in claim 2 when said portions in claim 1 are fully extended and cartridge is exposed, removed and attached.
 4. The easel recited in claim 1, further comprising in said compartments a collapsible screen to provide a means of projecting images upon when said portions in claim 1 are fully extended and screen is exposed, removed, unfolded and attached.
 5. The easel recited in claim 1, wherein said portions have means for stopping telescoping by a protrusion in one portion sinking into hole in another portion, and have means for securing the extended portions by a movable protrusion in one portion sinking into spaced openings in another portion fixing extended portions at selected height;
 6. The easel recited in claim 1, wherein said head portions have additional compartments for additional storage and for conveying and mounting projection and recording devices;
 7. The easel recited in claim 1, wherein said easel inner portions are telescoped into outer portions to form a case and provides for a means to easily convey easel and to increase convenience and security of components.
 8. The easel recited in claim 1, wherein said case has a handle for ease of conveyance and a latch for securing sections together when in case form.
 9. The easel recited in claim 1, wherein said inner portions have optional tether lines to secure components to prevent loss when in extended position and components are exposed. 